Bedtime Stalling and Potty Training. Let Him Go Potty or Make Him Go to Bed?

Let him go potty once and that's it. If he pees in his diaper at night, it's okay. Just be consistant and he'll stop asking repeatedly.

My daughter was the queen of this. We made going potty part the of the night time PJ routine and if it was after that we told her she had to "hold it". She was totally stalling and playing. I would stop it soon so it does not become a battle like it was for us!

My son had the same problem too. First of all, I wouldn't denied his requests to go pee-pee during the night, but you can put his little toilet in his room with a night light right beside it, so he can see where is he going during the night. Then tell him that if he needs to go during the night and his toilet is right in his room. If he needs help, then call on you. That's what I did with my son, at the beginning I would get up 2 or 3 time with him to the toilet, but after a little while, I just moved the toilet into his room then tell him that I put his own special little toilet inside his room for him if he needs it during the night. (I moved the toilet back to bathroom during the day, so he knows and gets use the idea to go the bathroom for toilet during the day) Then I slowly moving the toilet back to the bathroom where it usually is, so he knows where to go and not get too scared for him to go during the night. After a while, he will get used to the idea to go all by himself. Even now, during the night I know he still gets up to go to the bathroom once in a while and the next day morning I would give him a treat or something and let him know that I am proud of him going to the toilet by himself. According to my mother, to tell him that he has to hold it and can't go to the toilet during night, is actually very bad for him, especially for the boys. And please believe me that he will eventually stop making so many trips to the toilet and sleep through the night. My son did. Good Luck!

Yes, I agree once is enough then off to bed. By asking if he is sure his has no more pee pee left you have inadvertantly taught him to play the game.

Hi W.,
If he is going pee most of the time, then how can you not allow it? If he starts to do this and does NOT go to the bathroom, then you just have to use your judgement. When my daughter was younger, she pulled this on me, I took her portable potty and put it in her room. I told her, if you need to go, then you stay in your room and call me when you need your diaper back on.I put a roll of toilet paper next to the potty) That worked for the most part, and then she just grew out of it. Now, she will tell me she has to go AFTER her she has been read her books and all tucked in. It drives me crazy because I always ask her if she has to go before bed and she always says no. So, I let her go and she never gives me a hard time when it comes to getting back into her bed....thank god! She has been waking up in the morning with dry diapers for 3 weeks now, so I decided to put underware on her at night time for the first time. She woke up with a dry underware!! We are very excited because I just found out I am pregnant and glad that we will not have to buy anymore diapers for her!! So, It really is just a phase and this is practice for when he gets older. He will automatically go pee before bedtime in time. Be pacient and allow him to go as long as he is not yanking your chain.
Oh ,I also have a great on-line potty training book if you want it (and any other mom who wants it), just email me at ____@____.com and I will forward it to you.
Good luck!

Even though you know he's stalling, I say you still have to let him go.

My daughter does this. One night she got to the potty and said, 'well maybe i don't'. Then the third time, she DID have to go. I was upset, but then I thought, if I hadn't have let her go, she would've peed her bed, and then I would've been mad at her for that, when it would've really been my fault for not taking her when she told me she had to go....

You just can't win...
M.

My daughter is 28 months as well and has been doing the same thing. So annoying!! We'll ask her before we read books if she has to go (she always says no) then as soon as we put her in her bed she says she does. She always manages to pee though so how can you tell them "no"? I think it would send a mixed message about potty training. I've read that it is very common at this age to prolong the bedtime routine. I'm right with you, hopefully this little game won't last forever! Good luck :)

If my kids went to the bathroom 2 or 3 times in a row, I told them that was enough it was time for bed. If they went to bed and kept getting up to do to the bathroom then I took away their bedtime drink of water. Eventually it all smoothed out and is no longer a problem.
You could talk to your son about why he doesn't want to go to bed. There might be an easy solution. With my kids it was music and a nightlite. Good luck.